What will the Power Line Look Like?

One common misconception about The Northern Pass project is that all of the transmission structures will be 135 feet high—or taller. In fact, the anticipated height of most Northern Pass transmission structures is as follows:

In any new right of way (ROW), including the North Country, the most common structure height would be 80 – 90 feet

In the existing ROW north of Franklin, which currently contains a transmission line, the most common structure height would be 85 – 95 feet

In the existing ROW between Franklin and Deerfield, the most common structure height would be taller, around 110 feet, due to the height and configuration of the existing lines

How tall is tall? (PDF)

Taller structures (up to 135 feet) will only be used along the route when necessary:

To span larger rivers and roadways;

To account for changes in terrain being spanned by the line, and maintain a consistent distance between the transmission wires and the ground; and

In select areas in the existing ROW where the ROW is constrained and cannot be expanded to a width necessary for shorter structures.

As a general rule, the wider a ROW, the shorter a structure that is needed.

View Shed Example

The following photograph show what The Northern Pass transmission line is expected to look like from actual locations along the preliminary preferred route. For illustrative purposes only, based on preliminary engineering. For a larger version, please click on the image.